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Food borne illness/ food borne disease and or food poisoning, is any illness resulting from the foodspoilage of contaminated food, pathogenic bacteria, viruses, or parasites that contaminate food, aswell as chemical or natural toxins such as poisonous mushrooms. Food borne illness usually arisesfrom improper handling, preparation, or food storage. Good hygiene practices before, during, andafter food preparation can reduce the chances of contracting an illness. Regular hand-washing is oneof the most effective defences against the spread of food borne illness. The action of monitoringfood to ensure that it will not cause food borne illness is known as food safety.Food borne disease can also be caused by a large variety of toxins that affect the environment or bychemicals. Food borne illness can also be caused by pesticides or medicines in food and naturallytoxic substances like poisonous mushrooms. There are more than 250 known food borne diseases.They can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Natural and manufactured chemicals in foodproducts also can make people sick. Some diseases are caused by toxins from the disease-causingmicrobe, others by the human body's reactions to that particular microbe, itself. This book will serveas a valuable reference for public health officers, microbiologists, environmental biologists,consultants in communicable disease control and microbiology students.